Snow coaster rudder



March 3, 1964 J. N. M LEOD SNOW COASTER RUDDER Filed 001;. 4, 1962United States Patent 3,123,374 SNOW COASTER RUDDER John N. MacLeod', 287Babcock Blvd, Gibsonia, Pa. Filed Oct. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 228,342 3Claims. (Cl. 2s0 12) This invention relates generally to childrens sledsand more specifically it relates to an improved rudder for childrenssleds.

One object of the present invention is to provide a steering means for achilds snow coaster. It is generally well known that a childs snowcoaster is comprised of a saucer-like element upon which the child sitsand slides over ice or snow which may be of a level or inclined planeas, for example, a frozen pond or a snow-covered hillside. Suchconventional snow coasters are not provided with any steering mechanismsand the snow coaster is accordingly, apt to rotate during travel wherebyat times the child is facing rearward or sideways while in motion.

Accordingly, it is another object of the present invention to provide arudder mechanism for a snow coaster whereby the device will slide overice or snow in a manner so that the snow coaster will not rotate andthus the child will at all times face forwardly.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a snowcoaster rudder mechanism having means to be adjustable.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a snowcoaster rudder mechanism wherein the rudder position may be permanentlyfixed.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a snow coaster ruddermechanism bearing the above objects in mind, which is of simpleconstruction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive tomanufacture and efficient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the inventionreference may be had to the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the invention shown in operative use;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2,and looking in the direction of the arrows thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the lines 4-4 of FIGURE 2,and looking in the direction of the arrows thereof; and

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view of the elements which comprisethe rudder mechanism.

*Referring now to the drawing in detail, the numeral represents a snowcoaster rudder according to the present invention wherein there are apair of blade elements 11 and 12 which are attached to a snow coaster13. The snow coaster is of generally circular configuration having acircular periphery =14 forming the edge thereof and has upper sides 15which are downwardly dished and a lower side 16 of convex character. Theblade element 11 is atfixed in rigid position to the snow coaster bymeans of screws 17 and a rivet 18 at the center of the snow coaster.This blade element is attached to the underside thereof and in anupstanding position. The blade element may be made of any material aspreferred and, if made of wood, then a metal bracket 19 would beattached thereto by means of rivets 20 or the like, the bracket havingan opening at its extreme end through which the rivet 18 extends. Theblade element would be of relatively thin height adjacent the endnearest the rivet 18 and would necessitate the bracket 19 in order topro vide strength to the blade element to prevent splitting or 3,123,374Patented Mar. 3, 1964 cracking thereof. The blade element is ofrelatively flat character having parallel opposite sides 21 and 22, abottom edge 23, rear edge 24, and a concave edge 25 which conforms tothe dished shape of the snow coaster. A notch 26 is provided on its topedge 27 within which head 28 of the snow coaster extends. The bladeelement 12 is attached adjustably to the snow coaster. It likewise has abracket 29 attached adjacent its lowermost edge 30 by means of rivets 31and provided with an opening 32 through which the rivet 18 extends andabout which the blade element is pivotable. It is to be noted that thebracket 29 has a lateral offset 33 for the purpose of permit-ting theblade elements to be brought relatively close to each other. Bladeelement 12 has an upstanding rear edge 34, an upper edge 35, -a concavearcuate edge 36 and a notch 37 in the upper edge to receive therein thebead 28 of the snow coaster. A clamp element 38 having an opening 39therein for receiving a screw 40 therethrough is attached to the bladeelement 12 by means of a threaded opening 41 in the blade element intowhich the screw 40 is engaged. The blade element 12 is likewise of flatmaterial having parallel opposite sides 42 and 43.

In operative use, the adjustable blade element 12 is pivoted about therivet 18 to a desired position and the screw 40 is then tighteneddownwardly whereby the bead 28 of the snow coaster is locked between theclamp and the adjustable blade element. Thus the adjustable bladeelement is retained in a fixed position where desired.

It is to be noted that when the snow is particularly deep it may beadvisable to have the blade elements relatively close to each other thusproviding a more streamlined design whereas when the snow is relativelylow the blade elements could be spaced further apart, thus adjustabilityis accomplished.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction it shall beunderstood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. A snow coaster of the character as set forth, the combination of amain body and a rudder mechanism, said rudder mechanism being attachedto the underside of said main body, said main body comprising a circularelement having an upper and a lower side, said upper side beingdownwardly dished, said lower side being of a downwardly convexconfiguration and said element hav ing an edge forming the outerperiphery which is of a circular configuration, said rudder mechanismcomprising a pair of blade elements, one of said blade elements beingpermanently afiixed in rigid position to the underside of said main bodyand the other of said blade elements being pivotably adjustable relativeto said first blade element.

2. In a snow coaster the combination as set forth in claim 1, whereinthe said blade element rigidly attached in fixed position comprises arelatively flat member in upstanding position, said element having oneedge which conforms to the outer configuration of said main body and theother of said blade elements which is adjustable comprising a generallyflat member having one edge thereof conforming to the outerconfiguration of said main body, said blade element being in likewiseupstanding position and having one end attached pivotably free adjacentthe corresponding end of the first said permanently attached bladeelement, both said blade elements forming a rearwardly divergingV-shaped configuration.

3. In a snow coaster the combination as set forth in claim 2, whereinthe said adjustable blade element further comprises a clamp elementattached to the upper edge thereof for clamping the said edge of themain body be- 2,551,906

tween the said adjustable blade e1ements and the said 2,826,424

clamp. 3,026,120

References Cited in the file of this patent 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS241,126

1,580,224 Tatro Apr. 13, 1926 694520 2,987,437 Wanat Jan. 16, 1940 Z3.Schafihausen May 8, 1951 Erickson Mar. 11, 1958 Guerard Mar. 20, 1962FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland June 17, 1946 Canada Sept. 6, 1960

1. A SNOW COASTER OF THE CHARACTER AS SET FORTH, THE COMBINATION OF A MAIN BODY AND A RUDDER MECHANISM, SAID RUDDER MECHANISM BEING ATTACHED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID MAIN BODY, SAID MAIN BODY COMPRISING A CIRCULAR ELEMENT HAVING AN UPPER AND A LOWER SIDE, SAID UPPER SIDE BEING DOWNWARDLY DISHED, SAID LOWER SIDE BEING OF A DOWNWARDLY CONVEX CONFIGURATION AND SAID ELEMENT HAVING AN EDGE FORMING THE OUTER PERIPHERY WHICH IS OF A CIRCULAR CONFIGURATION, SAID RUDDER MECHANISM COMPRISING A PAIR OF BLADE ELEMENTS, ONE OF SAID BLADE ELEMENTS BEING PERMANENTLY AFFIXED IN RIGID POSITION TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID MAIN BODY AND THE OTHER OF SAID BLADE ELEMENTS 